New Zealand's first AI police officer reports for duty

New Zealand Police has recruited an unusual new officer to the force: an AI cop called Ella. Ella is a life-like virtual assistant that uses real-time animation to emulate face-to-face interaction in an empathetic way. Its first day of work will be next Monday, when Ella will be stationed in the lobby of the force's national headquarters in Wellington. Its chief duties there will be welcoming visitors to the building, telling staff that they've arrived, and directing them to collect their passes. It can also talk to visitors about certain issues, such as the force's non-emergency number and police vetting procedures. After three months on the job, Ella's future on the force will be evaluated.